


Life in Robotropolis

by CearaIvory



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-10 05:02:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19493239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CearaIvory/pseuds/CearaIvory
Summary: Sonic Underground told as if it were a drama like Downton Abbey. There is no such thing as a true villain or hero in Downton Abbey. Sometimes Lady Grantham was a villainess that needed put in her place, sometimes she was a heroine. Sometimes Thomas was a jealous jerk and sometimes you just wanted to cuddle him. Even Matthew was a sort of villain sometimes. You have some things that are not forgivable, like abuse. Sonic and Manic have to overcome prejudices. Sonic has to overcome some Stockholm Syndrome and Post Traumatic Stress. Sonia has to try and get to know her brothers and stand up for Robotnik and her fiancé. She still wants to find her mother but she has some major questions for her. What about the prophecy and the magical elements. Well, we shall see.





	1. Prologue

Julian Ivo Kintobor Robotnik was not an average man by any means. He was the only human remaining five hundred years after the last war of the humans. The nuclear fall-out from that war had given a wide variety of animals an altered appearance, greater intelligence and sentience. The few humans remaining were forced to procreate with those animals, creating the Mobian. Very few humans insisted on being traditional at that point.

Julian’s ancestors had been among those few. However, soon after the city of Mobotropolis cropped up a few hundred years later, the Mobians of that city developed a great hatred for humans. This hatred was encouraged by the royal family who outlawed humans and proceeded to have them executed. Until finally only Julian and his grandfather remained.

Julian proved to be extremely intelligent, testing at a three hundred intelligence quotient. When he and his grandfather were finally brought in to be executed for the crime of being human, the patriarch of the wealthiest and second most powerful family in the kingdom, the Montclairs of Dresden, used that as justification to buy his freedom. They were not able to save his grandfather, but they were able to give him a home, raising him alongside their son and daughter, Albern and Maria Montclair.

He grew up hating the royal family for what they did to his family. But he was grateful to the Montclairs and he came to consider like a brother while he fell in love with the beautiful Maria. He didn’t care that she was a mink. His ancestors may have resisted the need to take a mobian but he didn’t have that luxury. As beautiful and wonderful as she was, he wouldn’t want it anyway. Her father was more than happy to allow Robotnik to court his daughter. Eventually he and Albern were best men at each other’s weddings. Albern’s chosen was another mink by the name of Delilah. Not even a year after their wedding, Robotnik had the pleasure of delivering Albern’s first child, a son called Bartleby. It was a touchy delivery as Bartleby was breached but when he held that baby in his arms, he felt such pride. 

However, the royal family was not happy about Robotnik marrying Maria. King Jules and his brother cruelly began provoking the lower classes until at last, it erupted in a massive attack on the Dresden Estates. The home was ransacked and Julian was forced to flee with Bartleby and a pregnant Maria. He was heartbroken at not being able to save his best friend but resolved to raise Bartleby knowing their love. And he took comfort in knowing soon he’d have a child of his own by his dear wife. Fortunately, King Maximilian Acorn was willing to give them a home.

But it was not to be. The escape from the city had been too much for the mink. The baby came too soon and later that night, eclampsia claimed Maria’s life as well. Robotnik was forced to bury his wife and child together on borrowed land. All he had left was Bartleby. The grief of losing so much in such a short amount of time finally took its toll on the man’s sanity and he vowed revenge on the ones who had robbed him of his happiness. He devoted the next couple of years to his robotics project, creating the prototype for a robotic soldier that never needed to eat or sleep.

He secretly returned to Mobotropolis with a two year old Bartleby, presenting the boy to the aristocracy who welcomed them home. The murder of the Montclair heir and his wife were too much for them to accept. It didn’t help that the kingdom was now in a famine. The royal family insisted on making agriculture their primary export but the land was now overfarmed and was no longer growing crops.

The nobles attempted to plea to Queen Aleena Ericius for her to allow them to make use of the land’s wealth of other resources instead but to no avail. She insisted that nature and magic would save their land. However, Robotnik brought a liquid fertilizer and a small machine capable of tilling down deep into the soil, turning it once against soft while the fertilizer restored nutrients for growing food. They eagerly gave him money to fund more projects. He returned their generosity with robots and machines of all sorts to make their lives better. His last great invention was a machine capable of transforming one into a robot. It had the unfortunate side effect of robbing one of their consciousness making it an ideal form of punishment for criminals. A smaller version was used to replace amputations.

At last, he had what he needed to march on the palace with his SwatBots. He killed the king and ran the hedgehog queen from the capital city and into hiding with her three newborn triplets. The aristocracy supported his rise to power.

Robotnik became a fearsome, almost tyrannical ruler, at least in the eyes of those in the lower classes. Under Aleena, they did not have to pay any taxes and were entitled to all manner of free food and such. Robotnik removed these entitlements and declared all must work, citing an ancient admonition that one who does not work, does not eat. The roboticizer was used on the hardest criminals as well as those who refused to support themselves and their families.

In retaliation, a small faction of rebels began cropping up. They bombed his factories and harassed those who refused to serve the deposed queen. Even those who desired neutrality were not immune. His laws had to become far more strict in order to try and isolate the rebels.

However, he did his best to be a surrogate father to the young Bartleby. He surrounded him with other nobles. The recently widowed Virginia Wyndemere became the perfect surrogate mother. When she adopted a female hedgehog kit that she found outside her door, they came to an agreement that they would allow their children to grow up together as friends. Robotnik recognized the baby princess and felt it a suitable irony. It angered him that Aleena would abandon her children. When the Oracle informed him of the prophecy, it angered him even further. She had abandoned them for the purpose of using them as weapons to dethrone him. At least he had the princess within his influence. 

He devoted a good portion of her early years searching for her brothers. Her middle brother was found living with a woodcutter and his wife in the forest. However, he was too late to save the child from being abducted by the resistance that was slowly growing bigger. He had a strong feeling the queen or even her brother-in-law, Sir Charles Hedgehog was involved and the Canis’ confirmed that the old hedgehog had been spending a lot of time with them.

Eventually, he had to end his search as the bombings became more intense and he had to focus on protecting the innocent people threatened. He became entrenched in the task that he was not able to spend as much time with his nephew as he would have liked. He rebuilt the Montclair Mansion and established that as his home as he entered adolescence. Robotnik longed for the simpler days when he could take Bartleby camping or out on the fishing boat. He missed being able to comfort the boy when he had a nightmare, being able to read with the boy or even have a meal together on a regular basis. He missed spending time with him.

Sonia Hedgehog-Wyndemere’s life was good. She was abandoned at a young age to the good, kind Baroness Virginia Wyndemere. The woman had been recently widowed and desperate for comfort so when Sonia appeared on her doorstep she immediately made the decision to adopt her as her own.

Sonia grew up going to the best schools. When her intelligence quotient tested at one hundred and fifty and she ended up getting bored with the curriculum, she was invited to attend Robotropolis University. 

As a child, she was introduced to Bartleby Montclair, Lord of Dresden. They became fast friends and they did everything together. He would watch her practice her piano playing and she would help him with his political science courses that his godfather demanded he take. They couldn’t go out much as his godfather was always so concerned for his safety, though neither of them quite knew why. Thus much of their time together was spent under his watchful eye, even and that of her mother.

As they grew up, the connection they felt blossomed into love. She could not imagine a life without him there. She didn’t care what danger he may or may not be in. She didn’t care that sometimes he was a little self-centered. He always sacrificed where she was concerned and she figured she could just be more generous to offset it.

On her sixteenth birthday, he had a grand dinner made for her. He wore his late father’s blue military uniform and brushed his hair into a neat ponytail. Tonight was the night.

When she knocked on the door, he wasted no time welcoming her into his arms with a passionate kiss. “Oh my darling, happy birthday.”

Sonia giggled. “My Sweet Bartleby.” She returned his kiss as he led her to the dining room table. Two covered plates sat atop a raspberry pink table cloth. Two flowers, a pink rose and a purple tulip sat in a thin vase. The only light came from two candles. “It’s beautiful my love.”

He chuckled as they ate their meal of her favorite Beef Wellington with fingerling potatoes and Caesar salad. He couldn’t stop looking at her as they fed each other. He beamed at her as the footman brought them each a smaller platter with their dessert under it. “You know, I went to see my godfather today… to get something from him… after talking to your mother of course…”

Sonia reached over to take his hand. “You’re rambling, Bartleby… I love you. Say whatever it is you want to say…”

The blonde mink nodded as he blushed. “My Sonia, my dear Sonia.” He reached his hand up to stroke her fuschia cheek, marveling at how velvety smooth it was. “I’ve known you forever… I remember the first time we met. I knew then that my heart was yours. I’m so glad my godfather encouraged us to be together. But I… I want to tell the world now… To tell the whole world how much I love you and I want to spend my entire life showing you how much I love you.”

Sonia felt tears in her eyes as it felt as though her heart would burst from her chest. “Bartleby, Yes… Yes… that’s what I want too. I want to be your wife and tell the world how great you are. Yes.” She kissed him as he pulled the lid off her small plate. Under the lid, sitting on top of a slice of creamy, glistening red strawberry merengue pie was a rose gold ring with a large round diamond in the middle of a circle of alternating teardrop diamonds and rubies. “It’s beautiful, Bartleby. It’s beautiful.”

He put the ring on the appropriate finger and smiled. “Godfather said the ring was my mother’s. I’ve been waiting for this. Your mother said we need to wait until you’re eighteen but… this way, we have two years to plan. I know you’re my destiny.” He pet her hair. “In fact, let's set the date.”

She giggled. “Exactly two years from now, March fourth. Then you’ll never forget it or my birthday.” She sighed happily as she laid her head on his chest.

However, two years later, just a month before their special date…

She had been acting so strangely that day, playing him a new song that she came up with out of nowhere. “Someday, we are gonna be together, life will be so much better…” Of course they will but he had a strange feeling, she wasn’t talking about he and her.

“My love…” He asked as she put down her keyboard and sat, putting a hand to her head. “Are you alright?”

Sonia nodded. “Yeah, I just had a really strange sensation… All of a sudden… it feels like there’s… something missing…”

He stroked her hair. “Do you think it has to do with your dreams lately? You said you’ve had dreams of a hedgehog female and two others.”

Sonia nodded. “I know I’m dreaming of my birth mother… It’s my eidetic memory, I’m sure.” She moaned.

Bartleby hugged his fiancé. “It’s alright my love. I will find your birth mother for you. And those other two. If they exist. I promise.”

She smiled at him. “You know… let’s go out tonight. You and me. It’s been forever since we’ve gotten to dance. I have heard of this great club in the lower districts. It’s supposed to be amazing.”

That’s where it all went crazy. On the way, her medallion gave a strange glow and pulled her into the aforementioned club. He knew that medallion had something to do with her strange behavior. When she heard music that he couldn’t, he knew he would have to talk to his godfather.

Then, there, on the stage of the club were two other hedgehogs; one with blue fur and the other green. The blue one played a triangular yellow guitar while the green played the drums. 

“You guys are great!” Sonia said excitedly as she went to join them. 

Bartleby watched her play with the two strange hedgehogs. He smiled as they seemed to just click. He saw a smile on her face as some of the burden eased. Perhaps she just needed a break from planning their wedding. Or perhaps she had found what was missing.

After the three finished playing, Sonia held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Baronet Sonia Hedgehog-Wyndemere.”

The blue hedgehog shook it. “I’m Sonic Hedgehog. Just Hedgehog, no fancy titles.”

“And I’m Manic, it’s good to meet you. Hey, you both have medallions too.” He said, gesturing to the glinting silver jewelry.

Sonic shrugged. “That makes sense actually. I just learned I have a brother and a sister and I’m looking for them.”

Sonia smiled. “Then I think you have found them.” Her eyes went to her fiancé. Excitedly, she led them to his table. A waitress stopped. “Yes, I’ll have glass of the house Chardonnay. Sonic, Manic, order what you want, it’s on me. Special occasion.”

Bartleby laughed. “Wrong my darling, it’s on me. I think it only right.”

Sonia gestured to her lover. “This is Bartleby, he is my betrothed.” She explained. “We are getting in a month.”

Sonic and Manic gaped. “Bartleby? As in Montclair? Richest guy in the kingdom? As in…”

“Robotnik’s nephew, yes, that would be me.” He quickly preempted any nasty comments about the man.

The two hedgehogs carefully controlled their reactions. “So you know… him personally.” Sonic stammered, clearly nervous.

“What’s that like? I mean what’s he like?” Manic asked. “Up close and such. My mates back home all say he’s really mean and scary but I also know little kids have no issues sneaking into the palace and stealing food.”

The two laughed while Bartleby nodded. “Doesn’t surprise me. He doesn’t coddle people, he has no problem punishing those who break the laws and he deals harshly to discourage further law breaking but if he didn’t… I really don’t think you’d like Robotropolis much.”

Sonia nodded. “But when he doesn’t have a reason to be fearsome, he’s actually really nice. But come on, we just met, forget Uncle for a bit. Tell us about yourselves. This is so great…”

Sonic nodded. “Well, I grew up with my Uncle Chuck. Our Uncle Chuck. He… um… helped me to train my speed… I… I run track.” He lied.

Manic nodded. “And ummm… and you… you know my dad…” He told Bartleby. “You let him steal that faberge egg for my birthday last year. “

Sonia cooed. “Awww Bartleby, you’re such a sweetheart.” She kissed his cheek, making the mink’s turn a bright pink.

“That was for you. I caught him and he said he just wanted to give his son something pretty because your home was so bleak. I didn’t know it was for you.” Bartleby said with a grin. “I’m glad you like it. I wish he had stayed a few moments, I was going to offer him a job and a home for you both.”

Manic nodded while Sonic cocked his head. “And what do you?” He asked with a little uncertainty in his eyes. 

Bartleby found himself curious about the blue hedgehog. His eyes darted hither and thither as if afraid that something was going to happen. His fur and spikes seemed to be perpetually pointed tightly upward. “I’m actually in training to follow in Uncle’s footsteps.”

Sonic’s lips pursed at that but he forced a neutral expression. “Oh… interesting… very interesting. Sonia? What do you do?”

Sonia smiled. “Well, I like to sing and play piano. I help Bartleby with his lessons and I design software. And I do gymnastics and work on my bike.”

The blue hedgehog nodded as he stood up. “Well, I better go. My uncle will be looking for me soon. I don’t want him to worry. You should come with me, Sonia, Manic…”

Sonia shook her head. “No, we need to get home too. Uncle doesn’t really like Bartleby out and about too much. But come for dinner in the evening. I know Mother will want to meet you both. I bet she asks you and your guardians to live with us. Our house is huge.”

Bartleby nodded as he paid their bill, leaving a generous tip, and stood. “I know she will. If she doesn’t, then I open my own home to you both and your guardians.”

Sonic nodded anxiously. “You’ll come back with me, right Manic? He’s your Uncle Chuck too.”

The green hedgehog shook his head. “I gotta get back too. I kind of left my dad hanging. He’ll be worried about me.”

Bartleby smiled. “Tell him about the job offer at least and we will see you for dinner.” He wanted to meet this Uncle Chuck. He had a strange feeling as he discreetly examined his future brother-in-law but he couldn’t put his finger on it.


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Abuse!  
> Robotnik hires a pair of bounty hunters to find the mysterious weapon that's attacking his city. Sonic is given a shock when he tries to tell his uncle about his siblings and is forced to flee the Freedom Fighters. The triplets' power becomes apparent to their guardians.

For the last year, Robotnik had been abnormally busy. The resistance was becoming bolder. He heard the rumors they said about him. They would have been amusing if not for the damage being done to his city and to his people. Thanks to those rumors, he couldn’t go about his city without the people looking at him in fear. Moreover, they were terrified of coming to him for help if it was needed. Those who believed him were simply harassed by members of the resistance until they either capitulated or at least couldn’t coming to him. He found it ironic. The resistance claimed he was the villain yet he never asked the people to fight for him as the resistance did. He also did not try to command people to alter their opinions.

Then a year ago, the resistance started using a mysterious new weapon. It was faster than the speed of sound and he had the data to prove it. It was bombing his new factories, one by one. Thankfully, no one had yet been hurt but he knew it was only a matter of time unless he could find this weapon.

He watched the video footage of earlier in the day. He had spent months developing that force field yet the Blue Bullet tore through it like a knife through melted butter. “Damn… what are you? How can I stop you?” His head popped up as two figures were led inside his command center. “Ahh, you must be the bounty hunters. I hear you are the best in your field.”

A gray arctic wolf wearing shiny, crimson full body armor with a black suit underneath, bowed lowed. “Lobo Brothers Bounty Hunters, Incorporated, at your service my liege. I am Sleet Lobo and this is my brother, Dingo.” He jabbed his orange eight foot, muscle-bound brother in the stomach to indicate he should bow as well. “It is a great honor to be invited to serve you.”

Robotnik nodded. “Thank you for coming. I have a bit of a problem. Before we continue, I need you to swear to my service. I want an exclusive contract and you’ll work for me alone.”

The wolf bit his lip. “You humble us with your offer, Great Lord Robotnik, but unfortunately, we are independent contractors and we have other clients…”

“If you cannot swear to my service then I shall have to find someone else. You can keep working and getting paid job to job or you could become salaried easily making twice what you are currently making, have medical benefits and job security.” Robotnik explained. “And I would also throw in maintenance on your brother’s prosthesis.” He indicated Dingo’s roboticized leg.

Sleet considered it if only for the last part. He remembered when his brother lost the leg after a bail dodger had shot him with an explosive round. He was fortunate to keep his life. Maintaining that leg was expensive and ate a good portion of their profits. “I suppose… it could be time for a change…” The guaranteed income was hard to turn down as well. “What’s the job?”

Robotnik nodded, satisfied that he’d convinced them, and turned to the computer. He gestured to the screen as an illuminated blue ball sped towards the golden shell shielding the factory. “This… is a new weapon the resistance is using to terrorize my city. It’s been plaguing me for a year now. I want it found and destroyed. Understood?”

Sleet nodded as he grinned viciously, enjoying the challenge before him. “It would be our great pleasure sir. Consider it caught and destroyed.” His front canines caught the light briefly as he started planning how to capture this weapon.

Sonic returned home to the hideout that he lived with his uncle just as it began to storm. He couldn’t tell Sonia about the Freedom Fighters with that Robotnik flunky there. He had found his brother and sister but he wasn’t able to bring them home. He wondered if he should tell his uncle about them. He would want to know about them and bring them home to the Freedom Fighters. The Oracle had also said he needed to find them if they were to stop Robotnik. He needed to tell his uncle.

However, when he opened the door, the elderly hedgehog stared at him with irritation. “Where were you Sonny? I went to find a doctor for you because you were laid up and I come home and find you missing. Do you know how scared I was!” He slapped his nephew to his surprise.

“Uncle Chuck? I’m sorry… I went out… I found my brother and sister. I never even knew I had a brother and sister.” He said, trying to sort out what just happened. “The Oracle said…” He fell back as Chuck hit him again. He blinked.

“You found… your brother and sister! Your sister! She’s with that Montclair bastard! You just gave yourself away to Robotnik! He’s going to know you are still alive!” Chuck shouted, sending chills down Sonic’s spine. “He’s going to be hunting you down. You just outlived your usefulness!”

Sonic stared at him in horror. “My usefulness? Uncle Chuck… you knew I had a sister? You know about her connection to Buttnik? Shouldn’t we rescue her? And we can get my brother with us too…”

“You idiot boy! They’re no use to the resistance. Now get your things. We have to get you to Sanctuary until Robotnik can forget you exist. Damn you! You just set our efforts back by years!” Chuck growled. “You’re lucky you’re my nephew.”

Sonic shook his head. “No, Unc. I think it’ll be fine. Sonia knows Robotnik personally. Maybe we can get him out without more fighting. Hell, she’s engaged to Montclair. And he…” He zipped out of the way of his uncle’s fist, anticipating it this time. He blinked, this wasn’t the first time he’d done this. The brief moment of inattention found that fist in his face as he slid across the hideout. He pushed himself painstakingly. What was going on? “Uncle Chuck…?” He shook his head. “I’m out of here…” Without thinking twice, he raced out of the hideout. He slowed down just enough that he could look at the address on the napkin that Sonia gave him.

Manic returned to his sewer home with a vigor he hadn’t had in a long time. “Dad! I’m home! You won’t believe what I found!”

Ferrell smiled at Manic. He often worried when Manic was out of his sight. He knew he would need to stop that. Manic was nearly eighteen. He wouldn’t always be able to protect the boy. “Tell me what you found my boy.” He caught the young hedgehog as he leapt up to get on his shoulders.

Manic told him all about Sonia and Sonic and their meeting at the club. “I can’t believe that I have a brother and a sister. And Sonia said we should go to dinner tomorrow, and that Lady Wyndemere might give us a home. So we don’t have to live in a sewer anymore and we won’t have to steal to survive. And Bartleby said he has a job for you if you want it.”

Ferrell couldn’t help looking around at the sewer. “Well, if she does then we should say yes. If only so you can get to know your sister.” He was surprised that his son had siblings since Manic was found alone but he would love them as his own as he loved Manic. Especially if it meant his son could have a better life than this one.

Bartleby sat with his fiance, their hands entwined lovingly while Lady Wyndemere served them both an evening tea. She was eager to hear Sonia’s exciting news. She smiled with surprise to learn about her triplets. She hadn’t seen Sonia this excited since she had gotten engaged.

Virginia giggled at her daughter’s enthusiasm and nodded. “Well of course they can have a home here. It’ll be nice to have a houseful for once.” She looked outside as a crack of lightning flashed followed by thunder.

The doorbell rang and a servant went to answer it. “I wonder who that could be at this time of night?” Sonia asked curiously.

Bartleby nodded, squeezing her hand. With the rebels constantly harassing people, it was always jarring when there was an unexpected visitor.

The servant could be heard gasping as she opened the door. “Oh my goodness… Come in, come in, please…” The lovers shared a look of confusion as a soaked Sonic was led to the parlor. “Milady, this gentleman asks see Lady Hedgehog.”

Sonia covered her mouth as they saw Sonic’s face. It was bruised, his eye swollen and his lip was nice and fat, remnants of dried blood around his nose and on his chin. “Oh my gosh! Sonic! What happened?” She went to her brother’s and guided him in while Lady Wyndemere ordered a first aid kit.

“Uncle Chuck… he… beat me…” He told Sonia about the encounter with his uncle. “I didn’t tell you earlier but I’m a Freedom Fighter. Or I was. He said I had ruined my usefulness and I needed to be hidden in Sanctuary. He beat me when I refused. I don’t know what to do. I can’t go back. But I have to save Mobotropolis. Mother is supposed to be queen and…” He grabbed his head, shaking it slightly. “But I can’t go back. But I’m the only one who can beat Robotnik…”

Lady Wyndemere shook her head sadly. “It’s okay…” She pet his spikes soothingly. “You don’t have to go back and you don’t have to beat anyone. You’re safe now, young man. You’re safe.” She hugged him comfortingly, as she would hold Sonia when she had a nightmare.

The next morning, after a night of canceling their other contracts and referring the clients to comparable service, Sleet watched the footage with wonderment. “Sweet Mother Leto…” He cursed. “How, on this good green earth, could anything be that fast? According to the analyzer, it reached over four thousand kilometers per hour! And that’s when it was slow enough that the analyzer could clock it. I think it could be faster than the speed of light.”

Dingo whistled and pointed. “But it does slow down just a mite when it hits that red shell there… Can you take a screenshot?”

Sleet nodded. “You’re right for once.” He clicked his hot keys for the screenshot. “Enlarge…” He said to the computer making the image grow several times. He repeated the procedure a few times before he was able to isolate the image. “It’s definitely not mechanical. It has a carbon-based signature, so it’s organic.” Finally the image became clear and Sleet was able to run a comparison on various animals in the database. The screen dinged when the appropriate match was found.

Robotnik reentered the room just in time to see the results. “It’s a hedgehog! A blue hedgehog!”

Before he could go into a tirade, the door opened. “Sire, Lady Wyndemere requests that you come for tea this morning. She says that it is urgent.” The SwatBot stated. “Sir Bartleby Montclair is with them.”

“Urgent?” His brain immediately started wondering what it could be that involved him. His mind sifted through all of the possibilities. Either someone was hurt or sick or… now that wasn’t possible. He gave the boy the talk, instructed him well into the night about it. That could not be it. But what if it was? He looked to Sleet and Dingo, it was a good time for them to meet his nephew and his betrothed all at once. They were sure to be crossing paths often in the future. “Tell her to expect two more besides myself.” He instructed the bot who went to give the message.

In his caves in the tundra, a green lizard-like hand danced over a cauldron as green vapors wafted up and the image appeared of the encounter between Sonic and his uncle. “This is your brother-in-law’s crime, my queen… He has abused your son and driven him away from the Freedom Fighters.” He looked at a mirror hanging on his wall. In the glass was an elegant violet-furred hedgehog

Aleena nodded. “Yes, Oracle, I can see that. My son has not outlived his usefulness. But Sir Charles will pay for abusing my son again. Withdraw your protections, Oracle. He’s on his own now.”

The Oracle nodded. “And what of your children, dear queen?” He asked the woman. “They need to be trained.”

Aleena considered it. “Wait a few days, then, defect to Robotnik’s side. Be their teacher. When the time is right, you’ll be able to rescue them.” The mirror went dark as her image faded.

Sonic felt insides fill with ice water as Robotnik arrived with his two goons. He looked at Sonia. “You betrayed me to Robotnik? Why? You’re my sister!”

Sonia shook her head while Lady Wyndemere fought to keep the boy still, calmingly stroking his spikes. “No, Sonic. I haven’t betrayed you. Your uncle betrayed you. Your uncle kidnapped and abused you. You can’t possibly still believe anything he told her.”

Robotnik shook his head. “No, don’t… You need to be careful with cases like this. The things he must have witnessed that night.”

Sonic trembled. “You… you attacked my home… you arrested my parents and roboticized them! You would have done the same to me! Uncle Chuck told me that my parents instructed me to go to him when you arrived.”

The old man nodded silently as he heard the lad’s story. His Uncle Chuck told him… He looked at Sleet. “Is this the hedgehog from that video?”

Sleet looked at the hedgehog who was trembling with absolute terror and trauma. Nodding only just slightly, “No, sire, that is not the hedgehog we are looking for…”

Robotnik prided himself on his choice of bounty hunters. Sleet was no dummy. “No, but perhaps his Uncle Chuck. Aside from him being visibly older, they are identical.” He looked at Sonic. “I’m not going to arrest you. I’m here to ask where to find Sir Charles Hedgehog.”

Sonic’s fur raised up as high as it could go. “No, I won’t tell you that… I won’t tell you that. I won’t let you roboticize him too. He’s all I have left. He’s probably gone by now anyway. No.” His breath picked up. He wanted to run but Sonia’s mother had him putty in her hands at this point. It felt so good. He wanted this to go forever.

Robotnik had expected that. The brainwashing was deeply entrenched in this boy. He looked to Virginia. “How would you like to handle this?” 

The Baroness pet Sonic’s spikes. “I believe that Sir Charles can be called to pay for his crimes at a later time. He will live here with us. I will adopt him and help him through this time. He needs a mother right now not an interrogation, Julian. Give him time.”

Sonic couldn’t figure out what was going on. His dear uncle had turned on him and now he was inches away from his archnemesis. “No… no… Uncle Chuck… was right… I was wrong to leave and expose myself… I betrayed the queen. I betrayed my mother...” He tried desperately to get away. His uncle had only hit him because he had gone out and he was scared. Robotnik was the enemy. The aristocracy was his enemy.

A soft voice began filling his head, a sweet soothing melody, his sister’s voice. His medallion glowed cerulean and his brother’s voice soon joined hers pouring a calmness over him to douse the flames of his anxiety. He looked around and realized that Sonia’s mouth wasn’t moving and Manic wasn’t there yet. Sonia’s necklace glowed pink. He slumped with exhaustion. No one had slept that night and now the events were catching up with him. He just barely noticed Sonia also slump into her fiance’s arms.

In the sewers, Ferrell watched as Manic fell into an odd trance, his medallion glowing green. He sat down close, ready to act if something bad happened. He had always known Manic was special. When he was a baby, he would sometimes go into these trances though he never remembered them. “Manic? What’s wrong my boy?”He asked as his eyes blinked up and down.

Several minutes passed before Manic’s eyes cleared the medallion stopped glowing. He shook his head and collapsed forward into his caregiver’s chest. “What happened, Ferrell. I feel so…”

Ferrell shook his head. “I don’t know son but this is the first spell you’ve had since you were five and started going to training. Do you know what it is?”

Manic shook his head. “I don’t but it started yesterday and… when it did there was music, it sounded like my siblings and I were singing and playing instruments but we weren’t. I could also feel that Sonic was in trouble. I think we should go to Sonia’s early. She said dinnertime but they need me.”

Ferrell nodded and picked up their meager belongings. Manic carefully packed the shiny crystal egg. Light from the sewer grate caught on the crystal and broke into seven colored ribbons of light on the stone floor. His most prized possession. “Hold on, bro, I’m coming.”

The two hedgehogs were taken to a bed. When they tried to separate the siblings, Sonic would become distressed again. Bartleby smiled at his beloved. She had been very worried about Sonic all night. The boy’s nervous ticks the night before made sense now. He was prepared to sit with Sonia but his uncle shook his head. “Sorry brat but you need to sleep now. I need to discuss matters with Ginny. Don’t worry we will include you both when you’ve rested but not before.”

Bartleby sighed but nodded. He may have been twenty-one but he knew his uncle would always have the last word by virtue of his rank alone. “Yes, Uncle. Thank you…” He went to his designated room.

Virginia giggled as the house became quiet. “Julian, are you alright?” She noticed how quiet he was. “Bartleby is alright. So is Sonia. Now she has a brother. No, two brothers. I know Charles is a loss but you have to pick your battles. He’ll be able to talk about it soon enough then you’ll be able to find him and deal with him. Thank you for going easy on him.”

Robotnik nodded. “He’s as much a victim as any of them. He does need a mother’s care, someone who can help him heal. He’ll need a father as well. Someone who can show him what a male role model is meant to be.”

“Your Grace, Your Ladyship, a roach is at the door with another young hedgehog. He says your daughter invited them.” The same servant from before announced.

Robotnik nodded. “Show them in.” He ordered.

Sleet stood off to the side as the roach into the room. On his shoulders, using his head as a pillow, Manic sat in slumber. The green hedgehog’s arms hung down over either side of the man. “I’m sorry, Your Greatness, for interrupting…”

The old man shook his head. “Nonsense. I see he is exhausted. Did something happen on the way?” He asked knowingly.

Ferrell nodded and explained about the trance. “It’s happened before but not for years.”

Sleet thought about it. “He’s wearing a medallion too, isn’t he? I bet they’re tied by those medallions. On top of that, there is a legend among wolves about cubs born in the same litter having strange powers. Would you like me to take the boy to his siblings, sir? They’ll recover faster if they are together.”

Ferrell hesitantly gave his son to the wolf. “If he needs anything, just let me know.” He didn’t notice both Lady Wyndemere and Robotnik looking at him meaningfully.

The wolf carefully carried the teenager to the large bedroom with the tower on the far wall. Sonic lay in the middle his right hand clasped in his sister’s left hand. Sleet placed the boy on the opposite side and watched as the sleeping hedgehog reached for his brother and settled into sleep. He couldn’t help finding the unkempt boy attractive. The expression on his face was innocent in an obvious way despite his artful dodger attire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sonic is now safe with his brother and sister, under the care of Lady Wyndemere. Will he be able to heal from his uncle’s conditioning? Will Sir Charles allow Sonic to remain in Robotnik’s grasp? What is the deal with Aleena? Review, Favorite and Follow to find out. Please review especially.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments, I really appreciate them and they motivate me. Thank you.


End file.
